Operation "Remove Grit"

Well, as you saw on the previous pics, there is still the packaging grit in with the ants. I needed to remove this as it looked unsightly. One problem - the second that they sense the lid is being removed, they all rush to the lid and try to get out. Call me a wuss, but a few of these are soldiers and would give a nasty bite. I just wouldn't be able to contain them.
So a plan was hatched.
I quickly tipped the whole lot into a glass container and lidded it with clingfilm. This gave me the chance to clean up the tank.
Now, how to get them back in. By this time, a lot of them were up on the clingfilm trying to get out (and who can blame them). Well, I made a little hole in the clingfilm and got a small wooden skewer. Great, I could get one at a time and drop them into the tank. Ahhh, easy with the first, but then I would have to remove the tank lid to get the second one in and the first would make a bid for freedom. Mmmmmmmmmmm.
Right, get the test tube thing they came in. They can't climb up that. I would deposit them one at a time into that and then tip the whole lot into the tank. Sorted.
So, I got it all ready and got the first one out and into the tube. Then it happened.......... click........... powercut!
AAAAAAAAAAArrrrrrgggggggghhhhhh
I had 20 ants in a container all heading for the hole in the clingfilm. I had one ant in a tube in my hand. Pitch dark.
I used a bit of spare film and managed to seal the hole. Fortunately the lights came back on after a few minutes.
This plan worked well and I succeeded in getting all the live ants back into the clean tank.
So we have 15 in total. Just need to get them burrowing now.

Here they are in their cleaner home...